By the time Efron swallowed the last bite and Gretel stood with him to leave, the duo paused when a newcomer's voice sounded from outside: “Wren, can you examine Grace?”
Gretel recognized that blunt, straightforward tone as Gavin's from the few times she had heard him speak. Who's Grace?
“I have guests right now. I can ask them to leave first, or you can bring her in regardless,” the medic replied.
There was a second of silence. Gretel and Efron exchanged a curious glance. Then the wind type’s sharp eyes noticed his yellow-green ones peering in between the sprigs blocking the entryway; upon spotting Efron, they narrowed slightly. Then the turquoise dragon stepped inside, using his long tail in an arc-shape to hold up the foliage so the tangerine hatchling could go through unscathed.
Oh… That must be Grace, Gretel realized.
Efron tensed when he saw the other revealer. His green eyes darted for a way out of the grotto that didn't mean having to pass the newcomers, even as Gavin’s tail coiled around Grace and gently lifted her over to Wren.
“She escaped while it was raining. The water seems to have made her scales raw after drying,” the fluffy male explained to the medic.
“Hm. I should be able to whip something up to help soothe any rashes,” Wren said, heading toward the herbs near the back of the grotto away from everyone.
Efron seemed to grow more antsy with each moment spent in the presence of the tiny tangerine dragoness. Every time he made a move for the exit, it seemed, the one-month-old would either look at him or make a move herself, which caused the older revealer to hesitate and double back. The fact that his unease seemed to get Gavin’s attention only seemed to increase his anxiety.
“You okay?” Gretel asked her companion worriedly.
“Um… I, uh… I have to go,” the blue-winged revealer stammered between nervous breaths. With no other option to pass them, Efron sidled along the dirt wall as if to keep as much distance between himself and the hatchling as possible on his way out.
“Wait,” Gavin said before he made it past. When Efron froze, almost bracing himself, the electric dragon continued, “Your coloring.”
The younger male blinked, then looked down at his arm as if to check if his injury had reddened.
Gavin exhaled though his nose as if mildly annoyed. “Your scales’ coloring.”
Efron’s eyes darted between the adult and the exit. “Uh… What about it…?”
“Your mother… Her mother… They're both from the far east, correct?”
The violet juvenile paled slightly.
East? But the plateau island where I saw the revealers was to the west, Gretel thought.
“Green eyes, purple scales, white wings,” Gavin specified. “That’s the matriarch of the eastern highlands. I'm assuming based on how similar your colors are that you're one of her descendants. Am I wrong?”
“I… Um… I haven't really met her, but…” Efron cowered slightly, as if scared the stranger would attack him for either not answering or for giving an answer the electric type disapproved of.
“He was hatched on the island northeast of here,” Gretel spoke up for her friend. “Whatever his mother or grandmother did on the island east of that, it has nothing to do with him.”
Gavin’s yellow-green eyes immediately met the wyvern’s; the suddenness of it made her shrink. “I am not blaming him for anything. I merely asked if they were related.”
Gretel opened her mouth to argue, then realized he was right. It's… hard to get a read on him. I can't tell if Efron being related to them is a good thing or a bad one. Even Wren is easier to figure out than this…!
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“The matriarch there sounds similar-looking to my mother,” Efron finally answered, somewhat defeatedly. “Chances are, you're right. So if you don't want me around, I understand–”
“That isn't it,” he said, and his mouth opened slightly wider as if to clarify, but he got distracted when Grace crouched to inspect a feather from Efron’s lunch. He quickly picked it out of her hands before she could put it in her mouth.
As Gretel watched him struggle with keeping the skeletal remains of the duck out of her reach, she tried to piece together what he was getting at. If Efron’s mother is from the far east, then… “What about the plateau island?”
Both males both looked to the purple-striped juvenile. “What about it?” Gavin said questioningly.
“Efron, you said your dad wasn't from the same place your mom was, right? So if your mom was from the far eastern island, does that mean he’s from the plateau island?”
Her friend seemed thoughtful for a moment. “Now that you mention it, he did say that, once. But why does it matter?” He turned to Gavin. “Why does any of this matter?” Efron's ears lowered as his eyes watered. “I've been on Dualrise Island my whole life until now. I don't know any revealers anywhere else… If my family did anything at all to hurt you or that hatchling, then I'm sorry; I… I'm sorry…” He choked back a sob and wiped the tears before they could fall.
“Forgive me; I didn't mean to upset you,” Gavin said more quietly. “I only asked because the eastern highlands is where this little one is from. That print on your neck is likely from a revealer’s hand as well; I assumed you escaped from there before you could end up like her.”
Gretel gaped in astonishment at the maned male. He gathered all of that just from Efron’s appearance? Wait–Efron's grandmother is probably as bad as his mother, if she's the one who kicked out an innocent hatchling…
Efron drew in a shaky breath, then his gemstone glowed and he calmed enough to stand straighter. He gazed with newfound empathy at the hatchling he had been so terrified of only moments ago. “You're right… about me escaping. Just not from my grandmother, or her island.” There was a long moment before he faced Gavin. “I guess… you're right about me not being so different from this hatchling, either,” he realized. After a beat, he chuckled. “Wow. Revealers must look pretty bad to all of you, huh…?”
“Efron, I don't think that at all,” Gretel assured him sternly. “The societies are bad, maybe. But you and Auden seemed okay to me. You never mentioned much about your father, though.”
“Well… Like Clay said, societies aren't all bad… It's only my family, it seems.” The two-year-old revealer chuckled a second time, almost hysterically as his eyes welled up again. Then he stopped himself with another conceal.
Gretel felt her heart sink with pity. I never really had any family. I can't imagine how it'd feel if I did–only for my mom to attempt killing me twice, and my grandma to exile an innocent newborn. I’m lucky I don’t have any connections to my family; whatever they might have done is not my problem.
“S-Sorry… I've just… dealt with a lot,” Efron sighed, sliding his back down the wall to sit hugging his knees to his chest, his Z-shaped tail wrapping around himself.
“I don't know much about revealers,” Gavin stated, “But believe me: if I considered you as much a threat as your grandmother, you wouldn't be alive right now.”
Efron and Gretel both recoiled at that. “Are you saying you'd kill him?!” she demanded.
Gavin’s head tilted ever so slightly. “Are you saying you would blame me if I did, in that instance?”
“But he isn't bad!”
“And I haven't killed him,” he pointed out.
“That's enough,” Wren said, coming back with a leaf that carried an odd-smelling poultice in her hand. “I've had my fill of company for today. So unless any of you have any sudden emergencies, please leave now.”
“Fine be me. Come one, Efron,” the young wind type snorted indignantly, making sure her friend left safely before she did.
“Wait,” Gavin called to them from the entrance. “We got off-topic. My point was that you're clearly not as violent as your ancestors; thus, I was wondering if you could tell me what revealer hatchlings need to survive.”
The two of them hesitated upon seeing the turquoise-furred dragon had already applied the poultice to Grace, whom he was currently carrying in his arms as he stepped out.
“Please…” he went on, slightly quieter. “I want to do right by her.”
Efron glanced at his friend indecisively. Gretel wanted answers; to ask Gavin directly why a revealer hatchling mattered so much to him. But she knew better than to risk upsetting anyone, so she suppressed her desire to prolong this interaction.
Then that sudden impulse overcame the wind dragon. “Why do you care so much about her?” Just as quickly she covered her mouth with regret. I didn't mean to say that! Why did I say that?! As if in answer, the tangerine revealer’s red eyes looked innocently up at the wyvern. Oh, right… Reveals.
Gavin didn't seem fazed at all. “Because she saved me.”
“...This tiny thing? How could she possibly have saved you?”
“Gretel, be nice,” Efron interjected softly.
The fluffy adult didn't answer. He instead turned to face Efron. “Your friend knows where my den is. If you're willing to give me advice, you're welcome to.” Without giving the older revealer a chance to form a coherent answer, Gavin secured his hold on Grace and then bounded swiftly up the slope, out of sight.